Founded in 2005, PROMSEX is a leading player in the field of sexual and reproductive rights and health in Peru and Latin America. The organization aims to ensure access to safe and legal abortion, promote sexual and reproductive health and rights, ensure access to modern family planning methods, and prevent violence based on gender or sexual orientation.

PROMSEX is a member of several regional and international networks such as the Latin American Consortium for Emergency Contraception, the Latin American Consortium against Unsafe Abortion, the International Consortium for Medical Abortion, Red de Salud de las Mujeres Latinoamericanas y el Caribe, Red Iberoamericana de Educación LGBT, and the International Lesbian and Gay Association, among others.

Mission

PROMSEX’s mission is to promote sexual and reproductive health and rights, justice, and human security through political advocacy and collaboration with other civil social organizations.

Impact

Abortion is outlawed in Peru except to save the life of a woman. PROMSEX is working in coalition with other feminist organizations (CLADEM, DEMUS, Catholics for the Right to Decide, Movimiento Manuela Ramos, and Women's Center Flora Tristan) on the Dejala Decidir ("Let Her Decide") campaign, launched in September 2012 to petition Congress to decriminalize abortion in the case of rape. Through the campaign, PROMSEX helped educate the Peruvian public about the prevalence of sexual violence in the country, where 1 in 5 women are victims of sexual violence before the age of 15, and where 9 out of 10 pregnancies of girls under the age of 15 are the product of incest.

The campaign collected signatures at public and community events, and outside universities, shopping centers, and schools. Extensive coverage by radio, TV and newspaper media outlets attracted active support from two congresswomen, Verónika Mendoza and Rosa Mavila.

By September 2013, the campaign had collected nearly 100,000 signatures and verified 70,000 signatures, which is more than the 60,000 signatures required to officially submit a petition to Congress. PROMSEX is now in the process of gathering more support from members of Congress to change the law.

Dejala Decidir in Peru has submitted 60,000 signatures in support of a bill that would decriminalize abortion in cases of rape. Currently, abortion is only allowed if the pregnancy threatens the life or health of the mother.

Last September, one of IWHC’s partner organizations, PROMSEX, along with other feminist organizations in Peru, launched the “Déjala Decidir” (“Let Her Decide”) campaign to collect at least 60,000 signatures in support of a proposal that would decrimina …